I justified my drinking for many years because I didn’t “look” like your typical alcoholic. I was what I like to refer to a “high functioning, closet alcoholic”. I did my drinking at home, hiding bottles around the house so my husband wouldn’t find out. On the outside I appeared that I had it all together, but I was physically and mentally collapsing. I tried to moderate, unsuccessfully, MANY times. I always thought I could control it. While some people can moderate, it‘s not unusual or wrong if you can’t. You see, alcohol is an addictive drug. By getting addicted, your body and brain are just doing what they’re supposed to! And it’s NOTHING to be ashamed of. Then one day it just clicked in detox. I could either keep drinking & slowly killing myself or start living. I chose the latter. I checked into my third inpatient treatment after detox, knowing deep down that this was it. I’ve learned so much about myself these past eight years alcohol-free, more so since I started sharing my story, and I’ve learned to love who I am becoming BECAUSE of what I went through. I went from an anxious perfectionist, workaholic, people-pleaser using alcohol daily to manage stress and social anxiety, to a successful sober coach, speaker, and creator of livingzeroproof.